Bullets Gm Likes Fan's Deal But Doubts Heat Will Like It

June 25, 1995|Geoff Calkins

Everybody's a general manager.

OK, we suspected this. But we got confirmation this past week, when we asked Washington Bullets GM John Nash about a proposed deal that would send Calbert Cheaney and the Bullets' first-round pick (No. 4 overall) to the Heat for Glen Rice and the Heat's first-round pick (No. 10 overall).

Nash liked the trade.

"That's an interesting proposal," he said. "If I call Miami, would they do it? I think they'd be reluctant to part with their best player."

Nash then proceeded to suggest fans should find a better way of spending their time than playing armchair GM.

"I get [trade proposals) every day," Nash said. "Often from kids, but they can come from attorneys, doctors, psychologists. Today with fax machines, people have too much time on their hands."

These people would seem to include Hakeem Olajuwon and a large, unruly collection of Italian soccer fans:

-- In New York this week, Olajuwon said the Knicks might need to make a deal or two.

"They need rebuilding, some redirection," said Olajuwon. "Basically, they have the same team and they need to make some changes." -- Meanwhile, in Italy, Sergio Cragnotti decided to sell his stake in the Lazio soccer club after fans besieged the club's administrative quarters in Rome to protest a deal that sent Giuseppe Signori to Parma. Fans smashed windows, overturned trash cans and hurled smoke bombs.

Cragnotti's response?

"They should have sent faxes."

Heat deal of the week

The Deal: The Heat trades Billy Owens and its first-round pick (No. 10 overall) for one of the top four or five picks in the draft.

The GM: Seth Finberg, Fort Lauderdale.

The Analysis: Everybody wants the Heat to move up in the draft. David Andrews, of Lighthouse Point, wants the Heat to get the Clippers' No. 2 pick. Gina Wischer, of Fort Lauderdale, wants the Heat to get Philadelphia's No. 3 pick. Finberg would be happy with anything in the top four or five.

Let's simplify the matter as much as we can. The Heat doesn't seem willing to deal Glen Rice or Khalid Reeves in order to improve its draft position. The Heat doesn't have anyone else but Billy Owens - not Bimbo Coles, not Kevin Willis - who might tempt a team to move down.

So, would Owens and the No. 10 pick get the job done? Golden State has no use for Owens. The other four teams at the top of the draft seem to have adequate small forwards (the Clippers have Lamond Murray, the 76ers have Clarence Weatherspoon, the Bullets have Calbert Cheaney, the Timberwolves have Tom Gugliotta and Christian Laettner).

Oh, there's a chance the Clippers or 76ers could make the deal and play Owens at guard. But the smart money has the Heat staying at No. 10.

NBA deal of the week

The Deal: The Minnesota Timberwolves trade Christian Laettner to the Atlanta Hawks for Mookie Blaylock.

The GM: Marc Weinroth, Coral Springs.

The Analysis: Rip up the Timberwolves. Two callers wanted the Heat to pry Isaiah Rider and the No. 5 pick from Minnesota for Owens, Willis and the No. 10 pick. William Law, of Coral Springs, had Laettner going from Minnesota to the Boston Celtics for Pervis Ellison and Rick Fox.

Laettner for Blaylock has some surface appeal. The Hawks need size and scoring up front; the Timberwolves need a point guard. Only problem? The Hawks don't want to hand their point guard job to Steve Smith.

Still, the Timberwolves will make some moves. Rider has an attitude problem and could go to Philadelphia if the 76ers can't get their hands on Jerry Stackhouse. The Timberwolves are less eager to get rid of Laettner but would deal him for the right price. Ellison and Fox isn't the right price.

NFL deal of the week

The Deal: The New York Jets trade Johnny Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers for John Taylor.

The GM: Mike Stanco, Plantation.

The Analysis: This would make a lot of sense if NFL teams still made trades. Johnson is overpaid and not long for the Jets. Taylor is overpaid and not long for the 49ers. The Jets need receivers; the 49ers need running backs.

But the Jets and 49ers both want to cut payroll. If they trade for these guys, they have to pick up their current salaries. Johnson could be waived; Taylor could stay with the 49ers if he restructures his contract.

Dubious deal of the week

The Deal: The Charlotte Hornets trade Muggsy Bogues and Kenny Gattison to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Mark Price and an undisclosed draft pick.

The GM: Arthur Hightower, Fort Lauderdale.

The Analysis: Forget the trade. What's this about an undisclosed draft pick? You're a general manager. You have to disclose your draft picks. You can't deal players to be named, either.

Mike Bachman, of Boca Raton, wants the Pittsburgh Penguins to trade Kevin Stevens and Larry Murphy to the Los Angeles Kings for Wayne Gretzky "just so we can see Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr on the same line."We can't imagine a finer sight. ... Knicks fans are starting to abandon hope. Phil Primato, of Boca Raton, suggested trading Patrick Ewing to Golden State for the No. 1 pick. That was one of five or six Ewing deals proposed this week, none of which will happen. ... David Steinig, of Plantation, suggested dealing Willis to Detroit for the Piston's No. 1 pick (No. 8 overall). He must have forgotten that Alvin Gentry has joined Detroit as an assistant. ... Chris Thomson, of Boca Raton, came up with this one: "South Beach for Salt Lake."And a Winter Olympics to be played later.

The Trading Block is written by Geoff Calkins in collaboration with other members of the Sun-Sentinel sports department. It appears Sundays.